OKEECHOBEE – The Okeechobee Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post #4423 building, 300 N.W. 34^th Street, has been closed and will be sold, according to VFW Charlie Norris, Florida VFW District 2 Junior Vice Commander.

The VFW will try to keep the #4423 charter active, he said. “They’ll still be in business.” However, they won’t own the building and will not have a liquor license. Norris said it is his understanding the building’s new owner will allow the VFW to use a small room for meetings. He said the club could also meet at the library or in a restaurant.

He said  the new owner plans to lease most of the former VFW #4423 building to another nonprofit organization, the Fraternal Order of Orioles. The Fraternal Order Orioles is a social and charitable organization that was founded in August 1910 in Rochester, New York.  In Florida, the organization has “nests” in Arcadia, Orlando, Fort Myers, Pompano Beach, Sebastain, and St. Augustine. Norris said the Orioles will have their own liquor license.

VFW #4423 was suspended by the State VFW on Sept. 19. At that time the post was accused of:

• Post meetings not being held by the National Podium book;
• Individuals witnessing members having alcoholic beverages during post meetings;
• A VFW state officer witnessed individuals smoking marijuana in the bathroom on post property; and,
• Continuous financial hardships.

Norris said following the State VFW’s investigation, the property reverted to the State VFW. He said the building and grounds are being sold to pay off the debt. During the pandemic VFW #4423 took out a loan that they were not able to pay back, he explained. Sale of the property will pay off that and other debts.

VFW #4423 was one of the area’s oldest posts, he said. The charter members of the post are all gone now, he said. “They had trouble bringing new people in and paying the bills.”

He said the trailer park on the VFW grounds will probably be shut down.

The sale of the property is scheduled for Nov. 1.

Norris said this was not the first time VFW #4423 was suspended. He said the first time they were suspended, they were able to satisfy the State VFW requirements to reopen.

This time, following the suspension investigation, the State VFW closed the post, while allowing the charter to remain active.

Norris said the State VFW does not like to shut a post down. There are two kinds of VFW memberships, lifetime and annual, he explained. When a post shuts down, the lifetime members usually switch to a different post, but he annual members often drop out.

VFW membership is struggling nationwide, Norris said. “The younger veterans don’t care about joining the VFW,” he said.

VFW members must have served honorably in the Armed Forces of the United States in a foreign war, insurrection or expedition. The VFW Auxiliary is open to family members of those eligible to join the VFW.

Cathy Womble contributed to this article.